The endangered California Condor is one of the world’s rarest birds. Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Scott Frier

Last minute Bush rules changes threaten American wildlife

Last-minute changes to the Endangered Species Act just announced by the Bush administration will dramatically weaken and limit the use of the landmark wildlife protection law, according to scientists and attorneys at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
The Bush plan ignores more than 300,000 comments received from outraged citizens across the country and exposes America’s most vulnerable plants and animals to new threats.

Andrew Wetzler, director of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Endangered Species Program has this to say about it:

“This administration has rejected anything with a whiff of science — so before sulking out the back door, they are going after rules that require Fish and Wildlife Service scientists to prevent harm to our last wild animals and places. Despite today’s (Dec. 11) feel-good statements, we remained convinced that these changes are illegal. We will look at the final language when it is published tomorrow (Dec. 12), but I think we will see them in court.”

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has 1.2 million members and on-line activists. /Gary

No Responses to “Endangered Species Act is now endangered … by Bush”

One must attend a Hunter Safety Education Class in California to get a hunting license, and at the behest of my husband I joined him to attend one this weekend. One of the subjects discussed was the prohibition against using lead ammunition in some parts of the state, because the condors tend to consume it from unrecovered game.

Our excellent instructor gave his own personal advice unequivocally. “Just avoid the lead ammo”, he said. “Just don’t buy it. Then you don’t have to worry if you’re in condor country or not.” The way he said it clearly suggested his sympathies were with the condors.

Even the most die-hard hunters can be, and perhaps are, conservationists at heart.